Sizzling Poulter moves ahead at Australian Masters

The cream rose to the top on moving day at the Australian Masters, with Ian Poulter and Adam Scott taking control at Kingston Heath.

Poulter is the defending champion and after a stuttering effort on Friday, he treated Kingston Heath with disdain with a brilliant round of 64.

The Englishman is having a fine end to the season, he has not looked back since his Ryder Cup heroics, and he knocked in nine birdies - with just one blemish coming at the 16th as he moved to 13-under for 54 holes.

Poulter is one shot clear of home favourite Adam Scott who signed for a 67. The Australian would have been the man at the top of the leaderboard, had he not made bogeys at 16 and 17.

Matchplay is Poulter's speciality but he is refusing to view the final 18 holes as a shootout between himself and Scott.

"We have a few shots on the field but we can't go at it as if it's match play," Poulter said. "It might be a little different if we are still in front coming down the stretch but anyone back in the field is capable of shooting a low number on this golf course."

Scott said. "I'm not going to start worrying about Ian. You only worry about that coming down the stretch. There's a low score out there if you play well."

Matthew Guyatt started the day with the lead, but he fell back to third following an error-strewn 75. He sits at seven-under, one clear of Mark Brown.

Graeme McDowell had his best round of the week, a 67 taking him under par for the week.